‘George’s Trains’ Working Capital Essay

George’s Train Shop is a family owned business that focuses on the sales and repairs of train toys. George is running a profitable business, but as he is aware of my MBA Managerial Finance class, he has asked for advice on his working capital practices. Although George is currently enjoying the benefits of a profitable business, there are opportunities for him to expand his business ventures. This first starts by dissecting degree of aggressiveness in working capital practices, current capital budgeting practices, and areas where he can improve in both arenas. In addition, careful management of the company’s cash flow will allow George’s Train Shop to explore other business opportunities for growth as well as flourish with increased.Alshubiri investigated the relationship between the aggressive/conservative working capital policies and the impact on profitability and risk. The study indicated a negative relationship between the profitability measure of firms and banks and degree of aggressiveness of working capital investment and financing policies (2011). Aggressive working capital policy is one in which you try to squeeze by with a minimal investment in current assets coupled with an extensive use of short-term credit. Conservative working capital practices are those in which companies assure plenty of cash in the bank, warehouses are full of inventory and payables are all up to date (Bank, n.d.). In an attempt to cut expenses to a minimum, George’s Train Shop owner, George Olieux, manages working capital by keeping few inventory and reordering inventory when only 1 product model is left on shelf (Intelecom, n.d.). According to Bank, as you tighten inventory, your sales and accounts receivable might swoon because you could run short on product. Inventory shortages might result in lower revenue and collections as competitors with well stocked inventories steal your customers (n.d.). Moreover, you risk default and bankruptcy as you adopt more aggressive working capital policies, as tight inventories can lead to shortages and lost sales. Firms with aggressive working capital policies, such as George’s Trains Shop may not be able to generate more returns on assets by following aggressive approaches towards short term assets and liabilities. Capital Budgeting refers to the process in which a  business determines whether projects are worth pursuing (Byrd, 2012); however, because the amount of capital available at any given time for new projects is limited, management needs to use capital budgeting techniques to determine which projects will yield the most return over an applicable period of time (Investopedia, n.d.). When Olieux acquired the business, it was heavily dependent on sales of classic Lionel trains, but when demand dropped, he had to make capital budgeting decision and invest in new product lines (Intelecom, n.d.). George Olieux explored other product opportunities by analysis of trends in the market. Because smaller trains and race cars were gaining popularity, Olieux decided to start selling race cars and smaller train models. The ability to identify which assets are expected to add value to the firm is central to the financial management role (Byrd, 2012). George’s capital budgeting technique included observation of market trends and pursuing assets, such as race cars and small trains, that were trending at the moment. Since George did not use popular methods of capital budgeting, including net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), and payback period, George had to take a conservative route by first exploring the success of just one race car product line. A potential pitfall George uses in current capital budgeting practices is the lack of a sophisticated measure of capital budgeting, such as the net present value. Such methods can measure which projects can add value to the business as well as compare various investments to one another. The Net Present Value method measures the dollar added value the investment will bring to the firm. It is calculated by taking the present value of future cash flows minus the initial investment (Byrd, 2012). George has statements from previous years that document cash flows and bu siness cycle trends. These statements include the timing and magnitude of cash flows, which include increased cash flows in the summer due to tourism, and reduced cash flows during income tax time. Using previous cash flow statements can help anticipate and calculate future cash inflows of a potential investment, such as the purchase of a Race Car or small train line, and can provide George with an accurate picture of the project’s Net Present Value. The lack of a cash cushion is one primary reason small businesses fail; therefore for small businesses, it is important to understand and manage the company’s cash cycle (Byrd, 2012). The cash flow statement records the amounts of cash  and cash equivalents entering and leaving a company, and includes three components by which cash enters and leaves a company: core operations, investing, and financing (Heakal, 2010). The operations section of the Cash Flow statement would include changes made in cash, accounts receivable, depreciation, inventory, and accounts payable (Heakal, 2010). This would include purchases of inventory and the sales of products/services. George keeps inventory levels to a minimum as an attempt to keep cash spending at a minimum, so frequent purchasing and selling of inventory is observed. The investing section of the Cash Flow statement would include George’s investment in acquiring the lease for the building and business, while the financing section includes loans for purchasing the business and interest paid on those loans. A company can use a cash flow statement to predict future cash flow, which helps with matters in budgeting (Heakal, 2012); therefore I recommend that George use the business’ cash flow statement in evaluating capital budgeting projects, such as the addition of Race Car and small train product lines, as well as other potential ventures. Moreover, I recommend George use the statement of cash flow to understand how much cash is generate and how much of that cash stems from core operations, such as the sale of specific product lines or the repair services offered. The management of cash is necessary to start, operate and expand a business. Before George can expand his business, he must prove to potential investors not just the profitability of the business, but the ability to pay short term obligations. By using sophisticated capital budgeting methods, such as the NPV, George can accurately asses the value added from potential investments. Through careful managing of cash flow statements, George has the potential to not just pay off short term obligations, but expand business ventures. Resources Alshubiri, F. (2011). The Effect of Working Capital Practices on Risk Management: Evidence from Jordan. Global Journal of Business Research, 5(1), 39-54. Bank, E. (N.D.). Aggressive vs. Conservative Working Capital. Retrieved on 9/5/2013, From website: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/aggressive-vs-conservative-working-capital-65216.html Byrd, J., Hickman, K., & McPherson, M. (2012). Managerial Finance. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Heakal, R. (2010). What is a Cash Flow Statement? Retrieved on 9/8/2013, from website: http://www.investopedia.com/articles/04/033104.asp INTELECOM. (Producer). Management of Working Capital Case Study: â€Å"George’s Trains†. [Video File]. Retrieved from the Intelecom Video Library. Investopedia (n.d.). Definition of ‘Capital Budgeting’. Retrieved on 9/6/2013, from website: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/capitalbudgeting.asp Palani, A. A.. & Mohideen, A. (2012). Impact of Aggressive Working Capital Management Policy on Firm’s Profitability. International Journal of Research in Commerce And Management, 3(3), 49-53.

Goodman Brown’s Battle with Good and Evil Essay

In â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† the setting plays an important role. It provides symbolism to certain events and provokes emotions amongst the characters, especially those of Goodman Brown. The central idea of the story is the conflict in Goodman Brown between joining the devil and remaining â€Å"good. † It is a very difficult journey for Brown, as he travels through the woods, all the while thinking of the â€Å"good† things he would be leaving behind, like his wife Faith. This internal conflict ultimately destroys Young Goodman Brown and creates a new man. At the beginning of the story, Goodman Brown sets out on his journey at sunset, symbolizing darkness and evil. Before Brown leaves, he kisses his wife, Faith, goodbye. The name Faith is intentionally used to symbolize the faith in God that they both share and also what Brown leaves behind to go on his journey. Faith wears pink ribbons in her hair, which give the impression that she is an innocent godly woman. Before Brown leaves on his journey, Faith says, â€Å"pr’y thee, put off your journey until sunrise. † This is showing that sunrise is a more pleasant and peaceful time to go on a journey rather than at night when it is considered dangerous to roam about. This sets the mood for Brown’s adventure and foreshadows that something horrible is about to happen to him. As Brown starts on his adventure, he remembers that his wife had dreams of this particular adventure, dreams that warned him not to go. This feeling of uncertainty sparks a feeling of anxiety in Brown as he continues walking through the forest and on with his journey. Soon after, the scenery around him begins to change and the road becomes â€Å"darkened by all the gloomiest trees of the forest, which barely stood aside to let the narrow path creep through, and closed immediately behind. † This quote describes the dark and gloomy surroundings that Brown walks through on his journey and creates the mood of fear and hesitance as he continues on his way. As Brown walks along, he comes to encounter a man dressed in grave and decent attire. The man states, â€Å"You are late, Goodman Brown,† and Brown replies by saying, â€Å"Faith kept me back awhile. † In literal terms, he speaks of his wife, but metaphorically he could be speaking of his faith in God and how it almost kept him from embarking on his journey. Later on in Brown’s journey, he meets a man with a cane that resembles a snake, symbolizing evil. Brown then protests against the devil saying, â€Å"With heaven above, and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against the devil! † He lifts his hands to pray, and a huge black cloud hides the stars to which he prays upon. This black cloud symbolizes evil destroying Brown’s faith. Throughout Brown’s journey dark and light, white and black, all play a part in creating the setting for Brown’s surroundings. When Brown returns home, it is daylight; this symbolizes innocence and freedom from the journey he just experienced. Throughout the story, Brown goes from being a static character to a dynamic one. The reason for this transformation is because of his conflict with â€Å"the devil† which is external, and by the conflict within himself which internal. The conflict Brown shares with the devil is caused by the devil tempting Brown to join the dark side. The way in which the devil lures Brown is by convincing him that his relatives and town’s people have already crossed over to the dark side and denied their faith. The struggle that Brown now faces is whether to follow his relatives and town’s people, or to follow his faith in God and deny the devil, which is Brown’s internal conflict. These internal and external conflicts turned Brown into a dynamic character by the end of the story. Instead of believing and trusting that his relatives and friends are godly, he now knows that they have all been tempted by the devil and many have crossed over to the dark side; he went from being trusting to skeptical of his friends and his faith.

America Has Seen A Great Amount Of Social Change During The Past Few D

America Has Seen A Great Amount Of Social Change During The Past Few D Essay ecades. From they way we eat to the way we treat our criminals to the safety of our children at school, things have definitely changed. The rash of recent school shootings is a sure sign of the breakdown in parenting and a lack of family values being taught to our children. The highly processed foods that we are eating have led to a nation, which is severely overweight and ill. The Criminal Justice system in this country is a joke; it has been shown to be biased against minorities and the poor. A guilty rich man is known as a free man, while a poor murderer is destined for years on death row. In the Kip Kinkel article we are given a view of Kips life as told by his friends and classmates. A symbolic interactionist would say that this violence is caused by a break down in the childs social structures, organizations, and culture. The main social structure to decline is that of the family. Twenty to thirty years ago the family was much stronger. There were less single parent homes and the divorce rate was lower. Since these changes have taken place, families have demised and some children have become unruly. A Structural functionalist would say that the fast food we eat serves two purposes. The first purpose, which is the manifest function, is food which is served almost as fast as it is ordered. This would be a good function of fast food, since it has been labeled fast food. The second function, or latent function of fast food, is the battle of the bulge, which many Americans are fighting due to their dependency on fast, over processed food. The food industry is interrelated with corporate America and also with poor Americans. Corporate America generally gives its workers thirty minutes to an hour to eat lunch. To get out get a bite to eat and get back to work in this time; one needs to go to a fast food restaurant. In these same restaurants you will find workers who are paid very little and who do not have many benefits if any, since only the managers are full time employees. The criminal justice system is a hot bed for conflict theorist. Conflict theory is based on the idea that all society has inequality, and theses inequalities lead to societal strain. Minorities and the poor are disproportionately imprisoned in this country. The rich are able to afford competent defense attorneys, while the poor are given low paid public defenders. These defenders are usually friends of the judges and wish for the cases to be rushed through the system. The inequalities in education, housing, and wages have led some to resort to crime. We all aspire to obtain the American Dream. But due to the class system the rich are getting very rich, while the poor are wallowing in an even worse state. It does not feel good knowing that the legal lynching of minorities and foreigners still take place today. By acquitting police of murder because they were afraid of a man and his wallet, we send a message to the country saying it is okay to kill a Black man as long as you feel unsafe. While, on the other end of the spectrum a Black man defending himself from a police officer is sent to death row for his murder. Being a Black man in this country I think a bout the social changes which affect me on a day to day basis. I am a conflict theorist to the core. Without equality we will continue to live in a broken nation. The countrys dependency on fast food also needs to change and it needs to do so just as fast as they produce the food. Many Americans have put on extra pounds because of eating fast foods and processed foods. READ: A History of Theatrical Illumination EssayThe social fabric of our nation has undergone a radical change. Some changes such, as the Internet and communication tools are good. While, the changes I have discussed in this paper are definitely not good.

Operations Management (Flow Charts) Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Operations Management (Flow Charts) - Case Study Example The surgeon uses staples to dissect the stomach into upper and bottom section. The upper section is usually smaller while the bottom section is larger (Klein 86). The smaller upper section is where the food flows after eating. The smaller upper section, also called the pouch, is compared to the size of a walnut. This section holds about a single ounce of food. The second procedure for this surgery is called the bypass. During this step, the surgeon connects jejuna to a small hole in a patient’s pouch. The eaten food will flow from the pouch to the small intestines. This will enable the patient to absorb fewer calories. Bypass surgery can be carried out in two ways. In open surgery the surgeon makes a surgical cut to open the belly. Bypass will be done by working on the patients small intestines, stomach, and other parts. Consequently, the surgeon might use the tiny camera referred as laparoscope (Apple, Lock, and Peebles 76). This process is termed as the laparoscopy; camera i s put in the patient's body. In laparoscopy, the surgeon makes small cuts in the patient's belly. Then he passes the camera through one of the cuts. The process is linked to the monitor of the video in the operating room. The surgeon will keep track of the belly at the screen. The surgeon then uses surgical instruments to carry out the bypass. The process can be represented in the form of a flow chart as shown below. 2. The minimum time the patient takes in the hospital before being discharged after paying cash is four days. The average time for those using insurance is about two weeks. Subsequently, the patient undergoing a laparoscopic surgery takes only two days. When the patient pays cash for the bariatric surgery, it will save the patient that stress of going through counseling, and various tests. Paying cash will also save the patient the agony of proving to the surgeon that he has tried other means of weight loss. Consequently, it reduces the patient stress of waiting for hal f a year before the procedure. Therefore, paying cash is something that the patient needs to consider (Apple, Lock, and Peebles 76). When surgery is paid in cash, they give the patient an option of choosing the surgeon to carry out the surgery. It does not involve longer procedures like the insurance. When the patient pays by cash, he normally spends one to three days in the hospital. When a patient undergoes laparoscopy, he stays in the hospital for two to three days. When he patients undergo this procedure, they recover faster and return to normal in two weeks time (McGowan and Chopra 89). The hernias rate in open surgery is reduced significantly. Therefore, the patients who pay cash are better off based on the procedural types to select from. Paying cash enables the patient to choose his location for the surgery and the kind of surgeon to be attended to. Dealing with insurance is always frustrating, but most insurance companies have realized that to cover procedures of bariatric makes financial sense (Apple, Lock, and Peebles 54). Paying cash enables the patient to have surgery almost immediately and also discharging is soon. The patient does not undergo the risk of being turned down due to coverage issues. There are reported cases of turn down from insurance companies at the last minutes of the surgery. 6. Assuming the patients get treatment by an insurance cover and go for open surgery. The Bariatric center will make 945,000 Dollars: Number of

Organization Design Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Organization Design - Research Paper Example Thus the structure of a business organization need to be conducted based on six essential elements which can be stated as follows. Firstly the organizational design can be based on the degree of work specialization of the organizational employees. Secondly the different organizational tasks needs to be grouped based on like factors forming departments. Thirdly the organizational design needs to be based on the job hierarchy roles in the concern defining the reporting authorities. Fourthly the organizational design needs to understand the number of subordinates who can be managed by one managerial head. Fifthly the organizational design differs in organizations in regards to centralized and decentralized decision making paths. Finally in the sixth case organizational design also differs based on the standardization of work rules in the concern or departments (Robbins, Judge and Sanghi, 2010, p.234). Designing of Individual Position The business organization performs in an effective ma nner through the collective relationships of large number of employees based along different units and departments. In this regard, Aart (2005) relates that the organizational machinery performs effectively based on the designing of individual positions in the concern. The organic approach to organizational design suggests that the people in the organization work as vibrant units adapting themselves to the external changes. The organizational vision and mission objectives and policy changes needs to be communicated effectively to the different individuals in the concern. These individuals need to coordinate with each other to help in the achievement of organizational goals. Thus the different individuals or groups... The study performs business organization in an effective manner through the collective relationships of large number of employees based along different units and departments. In this regard, Aart relates that the organizational machinery performs effectively based on the designing of individual positions in the concern. The organic approach to organizational design suggests that the people in the organization work as vibrant units adapting themselves to the external changes. The organizational vision and mission objectives and policy changes needs to be communicated effectively to the different individuals in the concern. These individuals need to coordinate with each other to help in the achievement of organizational goals. Thus the different individuals or groups working in a concern needs to be assimilated and trained effectively to pursue the holistic organizational mission. The organization thus must not be seen as an isolated entity; rather it must be visualized as an organic w hole. Fox, Schwella and Wissink state that an organization to effectively pursue the organizational mission and objectives needs to design its structures accordingly. The structures based on grouping of tasks and organizational potencies act as superstructures helping the organization accomplish its mission. Designing of organizational superstructures is conducted based on a process in which the organizational objectives thus framed are percolated throughout the concern in the form of top down structure.

Marketing Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Marketing Plan - Essay Example The marketing efforts will comprise design contest entries, participating in trade shows and advertising in lifestyle magazines and industry (Pride, 2011). Product Strategy – business will be its own label which it puts on its grooming services. We will also market our partners services. We will provide loving and attending service to all pets being brought into our stores for grooming, training, or medical care. We will also steer away from the "warehouse" perspective and work to make our stores brighter and more attractive (Pride, 2011). Price Strategy: we will aggressively market our prices to be cheaper than independent pet shop tattlers and to compete against other well known boxes retailers and stores. Sales will be competitive, and we will have a supply discount card which provides more savings to the customers. We will also compare our competitors’ prices and ensure that our prices are either lower or the same price with better services. Regular customers may be offered special price tags as well as the customers who have docile and tolerable pets (Pride, 2011). Distribution (Place) Strategy: Stores will be well stocked with fresh - raw materials, and also products that provide animals with specific dietary needs (weight control, skin allergies, sensitive stomachs, urinary health, etc.) as well as natural, grain free products. Safe transport services will be provided in case of door to door pet collection and delivery (Pride, 2011). Promotion Strategy: Internet marketing, radio advertisements, television advertisements, word of mouth, public relations (through animal foster and animal shelters groups). In subsequent years, the business will expand its marketing endeavors to include individual consumers reachable through lifestyle magazine advertisement and through cable televisions, sponsoring pet competitions and shows and

Gentiva Health Services assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gentiva Health Services assignment - Essay Example The adoption of differential costing would greatly help the company. Differential costing helps evaluate the difference in total costs and expected revenue. This information is necessary in choosing where to invest or not to invest. In addition, it will help evaluate the incremental benefits resulting from an acquisition or a disposition. In a situation when the company requires closing down a new firm, the company would be able to weigh the detrimental costs likely to occur as a result of the closure. Gentiva is on the verge of making several decisions to remain relevant and stable in the current economic demands. Since differential costs involve the assessment of costs and revenues arising as a result of taking a given alternative, the company needs to employ the method to reach the best decisions. In turn, the company will be able to cope with the proposed law to cut health services and hospice care.The effects of the health care reform on the providers of health services are clea rly evident. The reform requires that costs of health services be reduced by at least 3.5% every year.   This implies reduced returns for services offered by Medicare companies. Due to the health services reform, Gentiva is on the move to diversify its operations. The company aims at capitalizing on the provision of Medicare services to the robust ageing American population. Chances are high that there will be several incidences of disease with the ageing population. Other likely effects include employment lay-offs.

Mini Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mini Paper - Essay Example This feeling not only compels us to give back, but also makes us want to be least indebted to others. This principle applies in interpersonal relationships where people feel obliged to each other. One good instance is that between a seller and buyer. Before putting this principle into application, you need to ask yourself two basic questions. First, do your customers feel like you are giving them something of good quality? Secondly, how do you let your customers know the most beneficial way of thanking you for whatever things you provide? These two questions can help you develop strong marketing ideas. When applying this principle, you need to take extra caution- this principle can easily be used to mislead or deceive people. Such instances include when selling product at prices that are unfair, or when intending to exert undue influence on people. Honesty must also be maintained, trying to persuade people into doing things that are wrong is manipulative as well as unethical. Always be the first person to give; do this without the perception of getting something in return. Offers include discounts, bonus points or something that is specially offered to the customer alone, and not the public. Your gift should come first ahead of the buyers’. To make this principle more effective, you can give another offer when the sale has been made to earn mutual friendship with the customer. Try to offer your customers ways of showing their support. This can be achieved by informing them on the various means of contributing to your business growth. Examples include, â€Å"kindly tell your friends about us...etc. Certain companies have gone as far as opening blogs and web forums where happy customers rate and post their experiences with your business. Be the final giver: in the first instance, you gave an incentive and the customer gave you business. You therefore need to give the

Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 10

Business Ethics - Essay Example Ethical and social responsibilities require companies to have a sense of responsibility to the environment in which it operates through participating in programs that are aimed at improving the wellbeing of the community. Over the past years, Apple Corporation has not been performing well as far as corporate social responsibility is concerned. Its workers working in the China based factories have been reported on several occasions as going through harsh working conditions. These poor working conditions involved extremely low wages, forced overtimes with no corresponding remunerations and other unfavorable treatments. Recently the organization has been linked with child labor after Foxconn, which is a major supplier of Apple admitted of being involved in child labor. In its Yantai assembling facility in Shandong province of China student interns who were as young as fourteen years were required to work forcefully at a certain amount of fee. Its environmental practices have not been fr iendly as evidenced by the many criticisms it has been receiving. The company has been accused severally of consuming a considerable percentage of global electricity, which has raised questions on the commitment of the firm to using alternative means that do not cause a lot of pollution to the environment (Icke, 2013). Currently Apple seems to be heading on the right direction in corporate social responsibility especially after Tim Cook became the CEO. He has displayed having a vision of being socially responsible, which previously lacked in the management since Steve Jobs was only concerned with equipping the society with the best technology. He therefore never took keen interest on public grants to charity organizations and other programs that are aimed at improving the well-being of the society. Cook after assuming office introduced a charity program that is similar to the ones embraced by majority of the successful large multinationals. The program involved a dollar-to-dollar

Personal opinion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal opinion - Essay Example the World War II is considered to be a huge catastrophe worldwide and I agree with the point, but let’s consider some consequences it led to which actually were not bad but even good, for example, in American society. First of all, national wealth increased, and, feeling the advent of better life, people reacted accordingly. Young people started getting married, which led to baby boom and the divorce statistics decrease; in addition, a nuclear family began being an object of imitation, and it originated the fashion of the â€Å"American dream† way of life. But the situation was not so perfect like it seemed, because on a background of American prosperity there was a Cold War situation. Stalin’s extension of communism through Europe and Eastern countries threatened to increase US power in world political arena. Cold War caused huge changes in American people’s mentality. Government’s politics of making communists the biggest enemy possible made peopl e scared of another nuclear war: they were convinced that the threat of Soviet invasion and communists’ occupation would fade the society. So the anti-communists information was widespread everywhere, and American culture acquired another feature of eternal national enemy from without existence, which lately led to the War on Terror emergence. Even though the pattern of the American Way of life was developing sweepingly, it was not available for all segments of society, racial discrimination still existed. And black people understood that the time for changes had come, so massive protest actions stirred up the entire country. Under the Martin Luther King’s leadership black people achieved recognition of their rights, which in fact was the impetus of great liberal changes in the American society. Lately, when American society was totally outraged with Lyndon Johnson’s support of the Vietnam Civil War American youth initiated protests; in addition, young people, w ho had returned from the war, definitely were

The Cuases, Effects, and Prevention of Homophobia in America Essay Example for Free

The Cuases, Effects, and Prevention of Homophobia in America Essay Homophobia is an immense issue in todays society, but especially in America. The completely irrational prejudices against the community of this country is on the rise. This is due to a number of causes of which we as the American people have the ability to change. We must closely exam the causes and the effects of homophobia in America to completely understand why and where this is still occurring in modern day society and how it may be further prevented. Homosexuality has existed as long as humanity itself, and with homosexuality always seems homophobia, or the completely extreme and irrational fear or aversion to homosexuality and homosexual people, is sure to exist. This prejudice against homosexuals has been in one way or another shown to exist in almost every culture and society, although some cultures have come to coexist with the gay community in harmony, others how ever still have much work to do in the stride for equal rights and lack of discrimination for the gay population in their countries. Of these countries most are found in the Middle Eastern regions, in places like Africa, Egypt, and Iran homosexuality is a felony, and in many cases will have one either imprisoned or killed. It is in a way expected that these countries would oppose homosexuality so strongly, due to their strong Islamic traditions. But a country that it would not seem irrational to think would be more open to the gay population is the United States of America, but this is not true. Homosexuals might not be stoned to death in the streets of America, but they also don’t have the options of freedom and rights those in Europe have either. According to statistics, nearly half of America still has a strong opposition or hatred toward this community, as a country America needs to realize how absurd this completely irrational prejudice is and how much of a waste of it really is. As a country we should fight to stop homophobia in its tracks. Homophobia has really existed, but when did it really start occurring in the U. S.? The term homophobia was coined in 1967 by Wainwright Churchill in his study on the habits and lifestyles of gay men in America. Ever since then, it seems the term has stuck, even if it is used in the wrong context. The term left the scene of American society for around 20 years or so, but resurfaced much, much stronger with the global AIDS pandemic in the 1980s, gays across the globe were targets of severe and irrational beliefs that AIDS was a â€Å"gay mans disease†. Such beliefs of course are highly illogical, but that does not stop them from spreading like the disease its’ self. This stereotype can still be seen in todays supposidly more liberal modern society. Such stereotypes fuel the continued occurrence of homophobia, especially in the U. S. , which in return keeps the continues cycle of hate and prejudice going. The issues that stem from homophobia are numerous and far and in-between, but many are huge and obvious issues that America as a whole could change if its’ people really wanted to. Of the many prejudices against the gay population, it stands no more obvious anywhere else than in equal rights, rights that all Americans deserve. The discrimination of housing, employment, and equal marriage rights, all must be stopped. America is singling out a â€Å"minority† with in it’s borders, and that is wrong, the â€Å"land of the free† is showing a severe hypocritical, and bigoted side that no one should ever see occur. What is really the core cause of all the negative energy toward Americas gay community? Of the many things that cause homophobia in America, government would not be expected, but it is true to say that government is where most of the negative energy toward the gay community stems from. The American government is supposed to support it’s people as a whole, in an equal unbiased manner. If this is true, why is the government putting such restrictions like the ban on same-sex marriage on the gay community? This is a direct contradiction to the qualities America is built on, this isnt freedom for all of its’ people, it is freedom for those who are stereotypically perceived as â€Å"normal† by a bigoted, ignorant society that is intolerant of difference. America’s government is tainted with people thinking in this mindset, especially among the republican party. Politicians are openly allowed to â€Å"smear† the gay community with their extremely bigoted comments, and have recently succeeded in allowing others to freely do so also. In the state of Michigan, republicans have managed to pass bill 137, a bill that promotes bullying. One has to think twice to really absorb that the state has actually done such an absurd thing. In this bill it is now okay to freely and openly express ones feelings towards another, harass, bully, what ever it is they want, as long as they can support their claims with a moral or religious view. This is of course a horrendous and stupid idea. After the bill was successfully passed, Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing), took to the floor of the Senate to voice her outrage at the amended language and the danger of the exemptions: â€Å"Here oday you claim to be protecting kids and youre actually putting them in more danger. But bullying is not OK. We should be protecting public policy that protects kids,? all kids, from bullies,? all bullies. But instead you have set us back further by creating a blueprint for bullying. Shockingly, Senate Bill 137 will do more harm than good. Senate Republicans left our students behind in favor of partisan politics and passed a bill that actually allows more bullying. Students and parents expect lawmakers to lead the charge against bullying, but instead Republicans made ideology more important than school safety. Research clearly shows that only states with enumerated bills see a reduction in bullying. We need a bill that mentions the most affected populations and requires statewide reporting of bullying and harassment. Senate Bill 137 simply does nothing to reduce bullying in our schools. † â€Å"But the saddest and sickest irony of all, is that the bill was named â€Å"Matt’s Safe School Law,† after Matt Epling, a 14-year-old East Lansing student who committed suicide in 2002 after being repeatedly bullied in school†. As Senator Whitmer has made clear, this unrelentless bullying must be put to a stop, not promoted like it currently is in American government and society. Government and it’s views are corrupt, so corrupt that it will not function as it should in the goal of protecting it’s citizens and their well deserved rights. It is known government spreads the ideas of homophobia, but where is the homophobia in American government stemming from? The answer lies within the religious institution that runs most of America, the religion it was founded on, Christianity. Christianity is the largest practiced religion in the world, with such a hopeful message of salvation and a forgiving and loving God it is no surprise this is true. Their teachings have a message that â€Å"God so loved the world that he sent his one and only son and those who believes in him and that those who accept him as their one and only savior shall have everlasting life† (John 3:16). With such message of love and equality toward all of humanity, why is it that this religion that is supposed to spread this message of love and hope, actually in some areas spreading the hatred of some and especially the promotion of homophobia? The reason is there are many bigoted, hypocritical, and of all things homophobic pastors that tell sermons spewing with bigotry, manipulated to convey the thoughts of negativity towards the gay community in America. It seems the congregations that hear these so called â€Å"sermons† are nieve beyond recognition. Why is it that the general public has lost all of its common sense listening to seemingly false sermons preeching the hatred and intolerance of a minority? Of the few verses that mention homosexuality in the holy bible, one is more than any other, that verse is Leviticus 20:13. â€Å"If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads†. This verse is said to directly quote homosexuality as a sin, but this is not so. In the verse listed above it is talking about the Canaanites laws, not God’s, it is prosecuting the Canaanites sexual cult rituals involving male prostitutes, not gay men in commited relationships. The severe unwillingness to let one think for themselves has allowed this verse to be repeatedly misinterpreted to the point where it is thought to be the absolute truth. Thus encouraging the U. S. Media and society to, in it’s thoughts, rightly denounce or discriminate against the gay population. Since media is a strong driving force of information and individual opinions in the U. S. , especially to many nieve people, it in not unrealistic to think that media is of a big influence on homophobia in America. All this talk about the causes of homophobia is sure to have one wondering how it effects the actual gay individual or gay community. Ask any gay person and they will more than likely say that homophobia has been or is a serious and hurtful problem, but just how does it really affect them? Homophobia has many, many negative affects on gays, many of which they have no control of what so ever. Among these many affects, the one that is seen to occur the most is the strongly held negative attitudes that the American public has on their lives. Gay people are discriminated against everyday in the U. S. , and sometimes even almost every day of their lives. They are verbal harassed in the workplace, at school, or even out in public in general. Severe prejudice against the homosexual orientation is seen to be extremely common and more hostile around highschool students and young adults, these young gay people must combat and suffer what their peers say to them on a daily basis, whether said to their face or not, it still has severe psychological effects on a person. â€Å"Prejudice and discrimination have social and personal impact. On an individual level, such prejudice and discrimination may also have negative consequences, especially if gay people attempt to conceal or deny their sexual orientation. Although many gay people learn to cope with the social stigma against homosexuality, this pattern of prejudice can have serious negative effects on health and well-being. This treatment to which gays are subjected to has significant mental health concerns. This also amounts to a great amount of stress, although social support is crucial in coping with stress, antigay attitudes and discrimination may make it difficult for gay people to find such support. (American Psychological Association 2) As it was said above, being gay adds a considerable amount of stress to ones life, sterotype upon stereotype upon stereotype are thrown at them, and they have to attempt to cope with it and get on with life. Although this may work for some, for others the stress leads to other serious problems, problems such as constant or severe depression, suicidal thoughts, and even more stress. Feeling suicidal is never a good situation, and it is shown to be four times as likely that gay people, specifically men, attempt to kill themselves or actually do kill themselves. Recently there has been a tremendous jump in the amount of suicides of gay people, all where high school or college age, and where harassed about their sexual orientation until it was unbearable. This shows that the pressures on gays is increasing steadily and is becoming more consistant in it’s effects it has on the individual. Among the many people in the American gay population many are subjected to violent accounts of homphobia that usually has them physically assaulted. These horrific events are aptly named â€Å"gay bashings†. One would like to say that this does not happen much in America as much as people say it does, one also cannot deny or ignore their occurrences either. The victims of these viscious attacks are almost always very badly injured and usually in the hospital for quite some time, many do not even make it to the hospital. Often times after these attacks are over and the suspects have been apprehended, they are hit with a lighter sentence than they actually deserve. Instead of being charged with a hate crime, they often get of easy with counts of assault. This is a major let down of our governments purpose, our government really drops the ball here. The reason we have government is to defend America’s citizens, and that is not happening when â€Å"gay bashers† are let of the hook that easily. This, in many cases can be seen as a hate crime due the recurring fashion of the attacks and in the sense that these people being attacked are targeted directly due to their sexual orientation. Things like this must be further and more thoroughly prevented in America, no gay person should be afraid of being assaulted whenever they go out into public, this must come to an end. As a nation America needs to stop pretending it is not a problem and open it’s eyes and realized what it is letting happen way too often. American society and culture needs to learn to that not every body is the same and needs to learn to be tolerant of differences. One way people could be aware and start prevention of all these many issues discussed is gay people should learn that even though society disaproves, that there is nothing wrong with who they are, they are born that way and cant change so have to learn to live with it. Heterosexual people who wish to stop homophobia in it’s tracks need to examine their response to antigay stereotypes and prejudice, they can make a point of coming to know gay people and realizing that they are human too. They should go hand in hand with the gay community against the fight of homophobia in America, heterosexuals are often in a good position to point out to other heterosexual people how irrational their homophobia can be. Studies of prejudice, including prejudice against gay people, consistently shows that prejudice declines when members of the majority group interact with members of a minority group interact wiht members of a minority group. In keeping wiht this general pattern, one of the most powerful influences on heterosexuals’ acceptances of gay people is having personal contact with an openly gay person. Antigay attitudes are far less common amoung members of the population who have a close family member or friend who is gay, especially if the gay person has been directly open about their sexual orientation toward the heterosexual person. These are of the many examples of how Americans CAN change their view on homosexuality. The causes of homophobia through the church, government, and media are known, and the effects these things have on the gay community can be seen. It is not until The United States of America realizes that these all have underlying problems and are a part of the bigger picture, can homophobia be further and better prevented in America.

Marketing Plan of Nike Essay Example for Free

Marketing Plan of Nike Essay The world has a long, rich history of international trade among nations. Most international trade dates from the prevailing age of mercantilism. However, objecting mercantilism is the common idea of trade philosophies proposed by Adam Smith and David Ricardo. Both of them advocated free international trade. The rule of the zero-of-sum game was the core of mercantilism. One country increased the wealth must cause another one decreased from trade. Only one could be beneficial. They thought exports could bring inflows of wealth from and imports could lead outflows of wealth to other countries. It was this thought that each country encouraged exports and restricted imports. 1? The Classical Trade Theory (1) Theory of Adam Smith: Absolute Advantage Adam Smith set himself against the mercantilism. He advocated free trade and proposed the absolute advantage theory. In his theory, each country had its own advantage for producing goods which other country did not possess. It was this that stimulated countries to participate in the international trade by exerting the absolute advantage to obtain more benefits. Adam Smith made two assumptions: First, trade only existed between two countries. Second, each country produced only two products, one product must have absolute advantage, and the other product must have absolute disadvantage. Therefore, each country should concentrate on producing the product with absolute advantage, and then trade the absolute disadvantage product to the other country with the absolute advantage product. After trading, the disengaged, surplus resources and products of each country could be used completely reasonable. Thus, both countries can be beneficial from the trade, not just one. This pulled down the rule of zero-of-sum game and created the rule of n-of-sum game. Adam Smith’s absolute advantage theory successfully promoted the international trade. However, this theory did not deal with the problem that for both two products, one country had absolute advantages and the other country had absolute disadvantages. (2) Theory of David Ricardo: Comparative Advantage Fortunately, another famous economist David Ricardo succeeded and developed Adam Smith’s theory. Just like Adam Smith, David Ricardo also was an opponent of protectionism for national economies. He created his comparative advantage theory. The theory dealt with the problem that could not be dealt using Adam Smith’s theory. The economic motives and causes international trade. According to Ricardos theory, even if a country has no absolute advantage in any product, the disadvantaged country can still be beneficial from specializing in and exporting the product for which it has the lowest opportunity cost of production. Though the two theories were proposed hundreds of years, they still play important influences on international trade. Each trading country can improve productivity and the world economic is promoted. The two theories will contribute to world prosperity in the future. 2? The Modern Trade Theory Comparative advantage based on opportunity cost forms the basis of modern trade theory. The theory shows that after comparing, when the country decides to produce its advantage product, it needs to give up the other product that can come forth during the period. The benefit form the product it gives up is its opportunity cost. Here I take a simple example to illustrate this theory. The land for planting rice or cotton, the output of rice is 500 kilogram or 100 kilogram of cotton. If we choose to plant rice, the 100 kilogram of cotton we give up is our opportunity cost. Today, the practice of trade among nations is growing by leaps and bounds. There is hardly a person on earth who has not been influenced in some way by the growing trade among nations. The theories stimulate trade between developed and developing countries that avoid the autarky. International trade increases trading countries’ wealth and world output. That is because with trade, the resources are allocated rationally, job opportunity increase, products quality and variety increase and so on.

Robin Hood Ethnic

Robin Hood Ethnic Introduction Robert Hood is an outlaw who lived in Sherwood Forest of England. The ethnic piece of literary helps to depict the culture and stories of the person. This research describes the life of Robert hood and ethnic mythology that includes the folktales, myths, legends, fables, poetry, etc. The stories of Robin Hood show him to be a legend and it no longer seems to be a history. Ballads (songs that state stories) related to the Robin Hood became popular in the 14th century. In the 15th century, robin was featured in games also. The main reason behind the survival of the Robin Hoods Stories is that his character is portrayed as an outlaw and rebel, which are striking characters, particularly those whose motive behind the rob is not for personal gain but for the cause of providing justice to the common people (Doel, 2000). Thesis statement: Ethnic literary plays a vital role in reflecting the culture, as in the case of Robin Hood, ethnic literary reflects his pagan culture. Mythology Mythological Robin: He became the most renowned part of May Games. He was viewed as the legend and became a celebrated part of the May Games. Robin was seen as a fabulous summer king who could successfully lead a procession. This linked the Robin with other legends of the forest. Legends: The story describing him would be literal as the tales depict the real figures from the history. Alteration has been made in the historical fact and that too in a creative manner. This has blended together numerous important precepts, which encourage the right living and moral conduct. The narratives consist of mixture of facts, which separates them away from the other stories in folklore. Robin used to spare the goods of the poor and womens were not harmed. As a result, he became popular among the common public (Potter, 1998). Fables: These are associated with educating the readers with the important truths in simple tales and usually provide a lesson or morale at the end. The story of robin is short and at the end depicts the truths, which are not easily seen in the every day life. Most of the characters in fables are the non-living objects and animals which show the human passions and interests (Blamires, 1998). Folk tales: these tales consider the adventures which are both fantastic and authentic. These are also referred as the simple stories that describe the evil and the good deals. Apart from this, these also act as a better source of teaching the values. In the story of the Robin Hood, he has been identified as wearing green because he was associated with the deep Green Man of folklore and art (Phillips, 2003). Myths: Myths represent the prehistoric and the oldest stories. By nature, they are realistic and holy. According to Robin, productiveness is known as foliage. Myths are of different types in nature. History behind the myth of creation is the formation of world; it is a real concept and also eases the complexity and secrecy of the creation of the world. Another myth deals with the adventure of the divinity and achievement of courage. These tales frequently have cyclic model in which facts are explained in the shape of sign and story to make clear the individual situation and the basis for his distress. Ballads: The description of ballad was based on Gest, which emerged in the 16th century, soon after the preface of issue in England. After that century, Robin is rewarded to the rank of nobleman. He is nominated as the Earl of Huntington, Robert of Locksley, or Robert Fitz Ooth. In the early hours of ballads, by difference, he was the associate of yeoman classes, who were ordinary freeholder having a small landed park. Culture The weapons and tools used by Robin Hood show his connection with ancient woodland and ethnic practices. His main weapon was bow, which was the weapon of Diana, virgin Goddess of the Hunt and his secondary weapons, the quarterstaff and sword, showed the manliness and tarot practitioners use it as an esoteric symbol. He used a horn to call his followers, which is related to recalling the hidden horns on his head (Hahn, 2000). The ritual followed in celebration of festivals like Beltane or May Day clarifies the ancient themes engrafted with Robin Hood fable. The myth of Robin Hood matches with some other myths and traditions of countries around the world. Robin Hood was expelled from community with his wife Marian and his lieutenant Little John like Rama in India. The Robin Hood story ponders the Ramayana. When Britons visited India, two cultures started to share their views, language and heritage (Hahn, 2000). The very old Proto-Indo-European myth got combined when the two cultures merged. Both were having two great archer heroes, Rama Robin. Apart from the Indo-European cultural similarity, there is one more character in Chinese novel. Song Jiang with his 108 followers carried a war against corrupt feudal system. Novels, films and songs developed Robin Hoods image according to their needs. Robin Hood has become a symbol who helped the have-nots by taking the surplus from the persons who owned the resources in excess (Potter, 1998). References Blamires, D. (1998). Robin Hood: A Hero for All Times. J. Rylands Univ. Lib. of Manchester. Doel, et al. (2000). Robin Hood: Outlaw and Greenwood Myth. Tempus Publishing Ltd. Hahn, T. (2000). Robin Hood in Popular Culture: Violence, Transgression and Justice. D.S. Brewer. Phillips, H. (2003). Robin Hood: Medieval and Post-medieval. Cornell University Press. Potter, L. (1998). Playing Robin Hood: The Legend as Performance in Five Centuries. University of Delaware Press.s

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol Essay -- environment, pollution, global war

Reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, particularly from industrial production, to combat global climate change is one of the biggest sustainable development challenge for the international community. Countries are adopting Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), low carbon development strategies and climate change policies to tackle issues of climate change and at the same time meet their development goals. At the global level, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Kyoto Protocol, have paved ways for voluntary GHG emission reduction targets. To facilitate the mitigation actions, carbon intensities of production process are tracked and GHG inventories are developed. Such accounting of GHGs is a common practice in developed countries and is increasingly being adopted in developing countries as well. However, need for an internationally acceptable standardized and comparable GHG accounting and reporting was felt necessary that lead to the e stablishment of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol), which has developed protocols, standards and guidelines for the objective. What is the GHG Protocol? The GHG Protocol is the most widely used and international accepted accounting tool or methodology to quantify, and manage GHG emissions. It serves as the foundation for nearly every GHG standard and program in the world - from the International Standards Organization (ISO) to The Climate Registry - as well as hundreds of GHG inventories prepared by individual companies. The GHG Protocol also offers developing countries an internationally accepted management tool to help their businesses to compete in the global marketplace and their governments to make informed decisions about climate chang... ...hed in India. More information about GHG Protocol Initiative can be accessed from http://www.ghgprotocol.org/ Works Cited CDP. 2011. CDP India 200 Report 2011: Accelerating Low Carbon Growth. London: Carbon Disclosure Project. Also available at: https://www.cdproject.net/CDPResults/CDP-2011-India-200-Report.pdf accessed on 27 March 2012. CorporateRegister.com Ltd.. 2007. The Corporate Climate Communications Report 2007. London: CorporateRegister.com Ltd. Also available at http://www.corporateregister.com/pdf/CCCReport_07.pdf accessed on 27 March 2012. WRI and WBCSD. 2007. Measuring to Manage: A Guide to Designing GHG Accounting and Reporting Programs. Washington, DC and Geneva: World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Also available at: http://www.wri.org/publication/measuring-to-manage accessed on 26 March 2012.

Wal-Mart: Good for American Cities and Towns Essay -- Business Analysi

Wal-Mart has been a staple of America since July 2, 1962, when Sam Walton opened the first Wal-Mart Discount City store. Within a few years, Wal-Mart Discount City stores began to spread across the country. In 1968, it opened its first stores outside Arkansas, in Sikeston, Missouri and Claremore, Oklahoma. Sam Walton found success in offering consumers options and variety. Since that first store opened, Wal-Mart has now entered the grocery business and now the company controls about 20% of the retail grocery and consumables business. This says a lot about a man who began his retail career after working just 18 months at J.C Penny. Sam Walton found success early on with offering variety, and options when no one else was. Consumers want more for their dollar and Wal-Mart has centered their focus on this idea, and has not apologized for that fact. In fact, Wal-Mart’s sole existence relies on the consumers search for the lowest priced goods. Wal-Mart has transferred itself from a simple variety store into Wal-Mart Supercenter and has other chains which include Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market and Sam’s Club. Wal-Mart Inc. has found a way to offer options to the consumer not classically offered in grocery. By offering options such as an optical center, one-hour photo processing lab, Tire & Lube Express, and even in some cases hair and nail salons, pet shops, and pharmacies, Wal-Mart has taken steps to break the mold and offer consumers options that other stores cannot and has done a good job at that. With these types of options you could be in a Wal-Mart Superstore for hours and complete all of your afternoon shopping. This idea isn’t lost on Wal-Mart Inc., now offering the ability to get a money order from the ATM shows also why Wa... ...s prices gasoline cheaper then local competitors. Wal-Mart also has donated more than $1.5 million national BackPack Program, The Nation’s Food Bank Network will deliver backpacks filled with nutritious, protein-rich food to school children in need. With the money raised thousands of backpacks filled with much needed food for school children to take home. It has helped to rasie funds and build awarness it the problem of hunger, with a â€Å"Be A Part Of The Solution To End Hunger† campaign. Wal-Mart Inc has done a great job at bringing together what is local to the area and what isn’t and bringing to many small towns. So when a Wal-Mart stands up, it isn’t just Wal-Mart Inc who benefit, but the community. REFERENCES http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wal-Mart http://walmartwatch.com/ www.walmartfacts.com/ http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html

Malcolm Barber Essay -- Religion, The Templars

The Christians were fortunate individuals in the Middle Ages; Christendom received its own religious military order to protect many Christians who undertook pilgrimages to Jerusalem after it (Jerusalem) had been overrun (5). This Western order endorsed and sanctioned by the Pope; and the papacy in general, was known as the Knights Templar. One of the Templars missions was to predominantly fight against the Moslems. The Moslems had been perceived as a polytheistic religion, that encompassed the worshipping of evil pagan Gods and a religion that encouraged illicit acts. This idea however is contrary to the true Islam; Islam is indeed a monotheistic religion that is categorized under Abrahamic religions as worshipping one God. The knights were affiliated with the crusades which remained popular within the 12th century (1). The Templars were respected within Western Christendom and; the order was given numerous economic advantages such as: land, the erection of fortifications and lucrati ve job positions such as bankers. Sadly, the Christians were expelled out of Palestine and the Templars ability to fulfill their duties to serve and protect Christians in the holy lands and elsewhere were in jeopardy. Support for the Templar Order and the crusaders caused an entity to fade. Furthermore, the respect level and the anticipation of wanting to become a crusader by individuals in Western Christendom declined drastically, disabling the order to fulfill its protective duties. Moreover, the King of France Philip IV who was deeply in debt; made it known that he was aware of the orders riches. He stated The Templars must make immense effort to relieve the acute financial problems of the reign through paying taxes, if they fail to do so I must f... ...were taking precedence or a two- century existence of the order did not merit much historical recording. Yet the wealth of information presented and the legal proceeding which climaxes this monograph are not only illuminating but articulated through print by Malcolm Barber. I would personally recommend this scholarly work to individuals who already have immense knowledge on the Templars and to individuals who are new to the whole idea of this historical event. This monograph, in my opinion, should be a course reader within post-secondary institutions that promote advanced education and Barber should be commended on tackling such a controversial subject. Because the crusades are a huge stain on how religion was advanced in the middle ages. Many ethnic groups suffered at the hands of Christendom however, this does not legate Barber’s wonderful scholarly work.

Critique of the play Hamlet Essay

The Theatrical Play Hamlet was a story about a man name Hamlet who meets a ghost who â€Å"apparently† was his father, and tells hamlet to seek revenge for his murder from his brother who was Hamlets Uncle that married his mother. Hamlet love affair sees him insane, but does not now it is fake, later becoming insane killing herself after Hamlet kills her father. The brother and son seek revenge for his family’s death and duals with Hamlet getting himself killed with a poisoned sword. The king tries to poison Hamlet, but his wife drinks the poison and dies. Hamlet then proceed to kill Claudius, getting poisoned by the dual sword and dying, ending the play with the royal family dead. To make this story interesting the production group used different elements to help make the audience engaged; the main elements presented were lighting, scenery and entertainment. The lighting in the play Hamlet was for the audience to focus on particular images; it was also used for coordin ation with the actor and music. The key element in lighting was colour. An example in the play demonstrating change in mood due to lighting was, when the ghost appears on stage the light would start to flicker to show lightning, this could be to bring fear, or seriousness. Special effects of the lighting were also shown during the soliloquies so the artist can stand out from the background to draw attention to itself from the focus and connection with audience; this was shown by the light only reflecting on the artist. Another element that helped make the play good was the scenery. Each theater is different from its own way especially through the sizes of each stage. Even though the stage was small at the theater attended, the production group did a wonderful job of using the whole space with different objects to make the stage seem alive and big. Some objects were constantly used to make the setting of particular scenes; an example of this was the wood table that had been made into a bed or a dresser to show a room, a grave for Old Hamlet, a dinner table, and a stage for the Players. Objects were used for setting and visual purposes of clues to prepare the audience for the upcoming scenes. The production group also used the sound/music/dance in the form of entertainment. When a certain character used dance or songs in their performance, it was shown as insanity or an abnormal behavior. The entertainments were used to engage audience and to help them comprehend different emotions. During the play there were few missing scenes such as, the spy that was sent by Polonius for his son  Laertes, which held no importance for the group to reenact. Another scene that was missing was all of the Fortinbras scenes. The reason taken out was due to memorizing extra lines and no effect to the play if it were to not be presented; but by not including this scene the ending was a gray area of not knowing what happens to the throne after all the royals death. The production group had done a wonderful job in the play Hamlet that was about the betrayal of a brother, the revenge for a father, the love and marriage for two people, and the deaths of the guilty and innocent. The theatrical play demonstrated its performance through different elements; the three most important element included lighting, scenery, and entertainment of sound, music, and dance. Even though there was a slight gray area of the missing scene of Fortinbras, the performance itself was unique and amazing to watch.

Unbranded to Branded

Eyewear market in India remains buoyant despite recession Despite the economic crisis, the eyewear market in India as a whole displayed healthy growth in volume sales in 2009, while growth in its value sales slowed marginally relative to 2008. The demand for premium lenses, frames and sunglasses slowed more than that of the low-price and economy segments, so there was an overall slow-down of growth in value sales at the end of review period. Spectacles still preferred over contact lensesWhile marketers of contact lenses made an aggressive push into the Indian consumer market, especially the young adult segment, the mass market continued to favour spectacles over contact lenses. The two factors that have kept the level and growth rate of sales of contact lenses below those of spectacles are concerns about their use and their price. The prescription market remains biased in favour of spectacles and opticians rarely prescribe contact lenses unless the patient specifically requests them. Direct imports keep market completely fragmented Retail shelves across the country are full of imported spectacle frames and sunglasses. These low-priced imports played an important role in sustaining demand, especially for sunglasses, whose sales enjoyed the highest growth of any subsector in 2009, as they had in 2008. These imports have also kept the spectacles market entirely fragmented, with only eight companies holding even a 1% share of retail sales in Indian eyewear market. Chained specialists enjoy significant growthThe review period saw the growth of several chained specialist retailers, such as Titan Eye+, GKB Opticals and Vision Care. Titan Eye+ has been a game changer in that it has modernised the retail sector and forced others to follow suit. In order to remain competitive, opticians feel compelled to increase their ranges of frames, offer eye-testing services and carry contact lenses as well. Reliance’s Vision Express is another large player that is likely to i nfluence marketing and distribution in the years to come.Chained specialists are also able to negotiate better deals with suppliers, undertake promotions, offer better prices to customers, and provide greater visibility for new products and launches. Demand for spectacles expected to continue driving retail sales of eyewear The prescription market is expected to continue to drive demand in the forecast period, as literacy rates increase, more children become prospective wearers of spectacles, and economic growth sustains the increase in purchasing power.

Long Passages

An upsurge of new research suggests that animals have a much higher level of brainpower than previously thought. If animals do have intelligence, how do scientists measure it? Before defining animals' intelligence, scientists defined what is not intelligence. Instinct is not intelligence. It is a skill programmed into an animal's brain by its genetic heritage. Rote conditioning is also not intelligence. Tricks can be learned by repetition, but no real thinking is involved. Cuing, in which animals learn to do or not to do certain things by following outside signals, does not demonstrate intelligence.Scientists believe that insight, the ability to use tools, and communication using human language are all effective measures of the mental ability of animals. (2) When judging animal intelligence, scientists look for insight, which they define as a flash of sudden understanding. When a young gorilla could not reach fruit from a tree, she noticed crates scattered about the lawn near the tre e. She piled the crates into a pyramid, then climbed on them to reach her reward. The gorilla's insight allowed her to solve a new problem without trial and error. (3) The ability to use tools is also an important sign of intelligence.Crows use sticks to pry peanuts out of cracks. The crow exhibits intelligence by showing it has learned what a stick can do. Likewise, otters use rocks to crack open crab shells in order to get at the meat. In a series of complex moves, chimpanzees have been known to use sticks and stalks in order to get at a favorite snack—termites. To make and use a termite tool, a chimp first selects just the right stalk or twig. He trims and shapes the stick, then finds the entrance to a termite mound. While inserting the stick carefully into the entrance, the chimpanzee turns it skillfully to fit the inner tunnels.The chimp attracts the insects by shaking the twig. Then it pulls the tool out without scraping off any termites. Finally, he uses his lips to sk im the termites into his mouth. (4) Many animals have learned to communicate using human language. Some primates have learned hundreds of words in sign language. One chimp can recognize and correctly use more than 250 abstract symbols on a keyboard. These symbols represent human words. An amazing parrot can distinguish five objects of two different types. He can understand the difference between the number, color, and kind of object.The ability to classify is a basic thinking skill. He seems to use language to express his needs and emotions. When ill and taken to the animal hospital for his first overnight stay, this parrot turned to go. â€Å"Come here! † he cried to a scientist who works with him. â€Å"I love you. I'm sorry. Wanna go back? † (5) The research on animal intelligence raises important questions. If animals are smarter than once thought, would that change the way humans interact with them? Would humans stop hunting them for sport or survival? Would anima ls still be used for food, clothing, or medical experimentation?Finding the answer to these tough questions makes a difficult puzzle even for a large-brained, problem-solving species like our own. 1. Crows use sticks to pry peanuts out of cracks. Which of the following is the kind of intelligence or conditioning the situation describes? a. rote learning b. tools c. communication d. instinct 2. The underlined word upsurge, as it is used in the first paragraph of the passage, most nearly means a. an increasingly large amount. b. a decreasing amount. c. a well-known amount. d. an immeasurable amount. 3. The concluding paragraph of this passage infers which of the following? . There is no definitive line between those animals with intelligence and those without. b. Animals are being given opportunities to display their intelligence. c. Research showing higher animal intelligence may fuel debate on ethics and cruelty. d. Animals are capable of untrained thought well beyond mere instinct. 4. According to the passage, which of the following is true about animals communicating through the use of human language? a. Parrots can imitate or repeat a sound. b. Dolphins click and whistle. c. Crows screech warnings to other crows. d.Chimpanzees and gorillas have been trained to use sign language or geometric shapes that stand for words. 5. In paragraph 3, what conclusion can be reached about the chimpanzee's ability to use a tool? a. It illustrates high intelligence because he is able to get his food and eat it. b. It illustrates instinct because he faced a difficult task and accomplished it. c. It illustrates high intelligence because he stored knowledge away and called it up at the right time. d. It illustrates high intelligence because termites are proteinpacked. 6. Which of the following is not a sign of animal intelligence? . shows insight b. cues c. uses tools d. makes a plan Passage 2 (1) Photosynthesis is the process that plants use to convert sunlight into the food that they need to survive and grow. Most plants create some form of sugar from the sunlight, and this sugar is used by the plant as its primary food source. (2) Plants actually need only three things to create this sugar: sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water. The sunlight reacts with the plant's chlorophyll, a green chemical which is used to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugar. (3) As a general rule, photosynthesis occurs in a plant's leaves.The leaf contains chlorophyll, which reacts when sunlight strikes the leaf. It is also the chlorophyll which gives the leaf its typical green color, since photosynthesis absorbs most light rays except green, which are reflected outwards. (4) The process of photosynthesis produces more than just sugar, however. One byproduct of the process is oxygen, which is â€Å"exhaled† by the plant into the atmosphere. In fact, plant photosynthesis is one of the primary sources of oxygen generation on our planet, making plant life essential to almost all living things on earth. 7.According to paragraph 4, which of the following is a byproduct of photosynthesis? a. green pigment b. water c. carbon dioxide d. oxygen 8. The underlined word essential, as used in paragraph 4, most nearly means a. necessary. b. optional. c. fragrant. d. growing. 9. The passage explains that photosynthesis is a. done in the plant stem. b. what makes plants edible. c. the way that plants feed themselves. d. the source of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. 10. According to the passage, why do plant leaves look green? a. Leaves are actually not green. b. Photosynthesis absorbs all colors except green. .Sugar is green. d. Photosynthesis requires green light to produce sugar. 11. After reading the passage, what can you conclude about photosynthesis? a. Chlorophyll is part of the ozone layer. b. Photosynthesis is the process that feeds a plant. c. Plants need oxygen to survive. d. The roots of a plant provide water. 12. After reading the passage, what can you infer about photosynthesis? a. Human life would not survive without plants. b. Chlorophyll tastes sweet. c. Sunlight has both good and bad effects on plants. d. Too much water can interfere with photosynthesis.Passage 3 1) Abraham Lincoln served as the 16th President of the United States, yet he never went to college. In fact, Lincoln had nearly no formal education whatsoever, attending schools for less than a year throughout his childhood. Yet this should not be construed to mean that Lincoln was ignorant or unlearned; on the contrary, he was one of the most well-read leaders of the time. The fact is that Abraham Lincoln educated himself by studying books of religion, philosophy, and literature, and he continued his voracious reading throughout his life. (2) A lack of public school education did not prevent Lincoln from becoming a great leader.He led the United States through four years of civil war, which threatened to divide the nation into two separate countries. He was a powerful opponent of slavery, and it was largely through his leadership that slavery was abolished in this country. (3) Lincoln's determination to educate himself through diligent reading also led to his reputation as a great orator—and even today his speeches are quoted and studied worldwide.He serves as an example of a great leader—and a great reader. His love of books and good literature enabled Abe Lincoln to rise to world renown. 3. What is the main idea of this passage? a. Abe Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States. b. Abe Lincoln demonstrated the value of reading. c. Abe Lincoln was a Republican. d. Abe Lincoln freed the slaves. 14. Lincoln accomplished all of the following EXCEPT a. preventing the United States from being divided. b. ending slavery. c. becoming a great leader. d. establishing the Lincoln Memorial. 15. A voracious reader is a. likely to become President. b. a person who makes reading a regular habit. c. someone who never went to s chool. d. probably poor. 16.The underlined word construed, as used in paragraph 1, most nearly means a. tormented. b. taken apart. c. unscrewed. d. interpreted. 17. According to the passage, what lesson can be learned from the life of Abraham Lincoln? a. Education is not important. b. All books are worth reading. c. Good reading habits can help a person do great things. d. Politicians are always good role models. 18. How does Lincoln still affect students today? a. His face is on money. b. His speeches are still quoted and studied today. c. People grow beards to look like him. d. Students quit school in hopes of becoming president.

Prior Knowledge Deficit Essay

Prior knowledge comes from visual experiences, seeing those mental pictures of a subject. Prior knowledge comes before understanding what readers read, or understanding the subject. A deficit in prior knowledge inhibits student learning by taking away their educational experiences and replacing them with standardized testing. To begin with, prior knowledge plays an important role in enabling students to learn to read, and to read to learn. First, learning to read starts in kindergarten and continues through third grade, where teachers use books called primers. Primers teach students how to read because they tell stories about subjects that students already have visual experience with, such as family, friends, food, pets, or games. Since students know the basic information about such subjects, when they are being taught how to read, they understand the primers. Finally, when students enter fourth grade, they begin reading textbooks to learn about science and social studies. These students developed prior knowledge of science and social studies from kindergarten through third grade, when they attended field trips to zoos and museums, watched educational films, and completed science projects. If they learned this basic information about the natural world of science, and about the human world of social studie s, students are able to understand their textbooks. As a result, they can add new knowledge to further their education. Additionally, many students struggle with the prior knowledge deficit because of standardized testing. First of all, standardized testing takes time away from educational experience by using all the time and money on the tests. Teachers use the time on teaching students how to become test takers, instead of educating them in different experiences of the world. In the past, schools would take students on field trips to teach them mostly about science, and social studies. However, such field trips cost a lot of money; money that is currently being used on standardized tests. On one hand, traditional education consisted of students reading and writing to understand and explain the knowledge of the world. On the other hand, now day’s students are test takers, and they use their reading and writing skills for the test, just like knowledge is used to memorize all the information without understanding it. Teachers need to focus on this method because they are evaluated by the student s test scores. To summarize, prior knowledge deficit hinders students learning by taking away their educational experiences and focusing their time on standardized testing. A solution to the prior knowledge deficit is for teachers to dedicate more time on teaching students about subjects that will be used later on in further education, rather than teaching students how to become test takers.

The Effects of Cryotherapy in Relieving Post-arthroscopy Pain Essay

The Effects of Cryotherapy in Relieving Post-arthroscopy Pain - Essay Example This paper outlines that the study delved deeper into a 59 individuals got involved. The procedure was to administer Cryotherapy whereby, 33 persons were given while 26 used as a control group. Moreover, 10 minutes was the timespan made utility of in three separate counts, and the large number of the control group came from the weakness of the experiment. The application of the ice packing became key for application after recovering from the effects of anesthesia. The strength of the design was witnessed in the success of the objectives laid down. Using ice within a plastic bag enhanced the action of the Cryotherapy, and lessened levels of pain felt. Statistically, the levels reduced from 5-2 after the Cryotherapy process. The control group, on the other hand, recorded a decrease from 4-3. It proved the use of Cryotherapy in combination with ice to be an approach that is simple, tenable and less costly in achieving post arthroscopy pain. Right from educational level to service domain , the procedure needs embracing and regarded as a standard treatment protocol.

Analysis Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysis - Research Paper Example For a Christian to be a total Christian he is guided by certain commandments. There are ten in number, which are well defined and help in promoting a peaceful co existence between man and man and also man and God himself. Among these commandments include not having any other god apart from the creator; Christians are advised to honor the Sabbath day make sure that they keep it holy. Adultery is a vice that is highly disregarded among Christian in addition to that they re not to kill that which has been created by God. Respect is encouraged and this begins with respecting your parents and all people around you (Miner 93). Christian commandments are applicable to people of all religions. There is always need for peaceful co existence between different individuals all over the world. Respect is a value upheld by all religions race and gender. These respect runs from the respect for oneself to the respect of your neighbors. By respecting your neighbor, it will help in avoiding unnecessary conflicts between different individuals. Adultery also focuses on respect in the sense that an individual who respects himself will also respect his or her neighbor’s marriage. Murder is a case that that is not taken lightly by any nation on religion. This is the reason to formulation of laws that help in checking and controlling human behavior. Man is not to act as he pleases at the expense of other people’s lives where he is mandated to killing his fellow men (Miner 63). Hinduism is another religion that has great appeal to me. Hinduism as a religion focuses on the total well being of individuals. For instance is concerned with the mental, physical and spiritual growth of an individual. The most captivating element is the belief they have about food there charitable culture and the respect the religion has towards life. Hinduism highly regards life saying that all creatures have a right to life and therefore are to be given a chance to live (Nix 74). Spirit of sharing

Leadership and Direction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership and Direction - Essay Example These answers will provide the members of the team with added information that can be used in the decision making process. When performing brainstorming sessions that lead to lots of questions being asked one of the team members should serve the role of secretary to take notes about the topics been discussed in the meeting. The secretary should also record the entire meeting in order to document the meeting and the questions that were discussed during brainstorming. There are different types of questions that must be asked to ensure a project is appropriate for the organization. Some of the first questions that must be discussed are regarding the content and scope of the project. Is the project aligned with the organization’s mission and goals? A second very important concern is the finances of the project. Does the company have sufficient funds to undertake the project? The company must ask itself whether the firm has sufficient human resources available for the project. The firm must also ask itself if there is a need for the recruitment of new personnel for the project. During the planning phase two questions that must be asked are: The leader will know if the right questions were asked for the project based on the collective input of the entire team staff. Once the team concludes its brainstorming and question asking the leader must document the data and ask for a second opinion from other managers of the company including the general manger, controller, marketing president, COO, and CFO, and CEO of the firm. These members of the executive management team have vast knowledge about how to run a team project efficiently. Their input will validate whether the project manager performed his job adequately in regards to gathering the information necessary to proceed with the project. The project manager should discuss the meeting he or she had with the executive management team with the rest of the

Comparison between 17th & 18th centuries in France,England and America Term Paper

Comparison between 17th & 18th centuries in France,England and America - Term Paper Example The first concept that can be seen with the different pieces of architecture is the characteristics that are from each region. The first comparison which can be made is within England, specifically between the 17th and 18th centuries. In the 17th century, the style was based on the Baroque influences, which consisted of finding balance within each type of work. This was combined with the styles which were influenced by the political and cultural associations, inclusive of the Tudor monarch changing to a different political structure. The main concepts which were associated with the Baroque style began to change by the 18th century, specifically because of social and cultural associations. The political realms moved through revolutionary changes, specifically with an altered regime and order. This was combined with the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, both which altered the materials used for architecture as well as the expectations of what should be included in the archit ectural styles. Many of the pieces of architecture began to change into experimentation with new materials, influences of structures that were romantic in style and which rebelled against the balance and form of the 17th century (Glennie, p 17). The examples of these changes show in the variety of architecture which was produced in England during the 17th and 18th century. The earlier work of the Hatfield House (1607) shows the Elizabethan style as well as how this related to the metaphor of the political and cultural structure, as seen in Figure 1. Figure 1: Hatfield House (1607) The architecture is one which is representative of the Elizabethan architecture first because of the distinct form of east and west wings as well as the central arches which remain even on both sides. The towers and the association with simplistic and ornate figures are also seen. The main concept was to keep an open region while offering a spacious area that represents the power of the political structure of the time. This was representative of the English time frame and the components which were associated with the 17th century balance and structure (Archer, 29). The changes in England can be seen with the progression of architecture, such as through the Chiswick House, (1725) seen in figure 2. Figure 2: Chiswick House (1725) The same references of balance are used with this, specifically with the association of columns and structure that was used. This is not only representative of the ideologies of the new political system and the thriving of the current status. Instead, there is a movement back to the ancient Greek structures for balance, seen through the columns and the dome that is used. The concept of architecture is one which combines several influences and uses experimentation of combining structures while keeping the balance as seen in the 17th century. The representation then shows the change in style with integration of different methods, specifically which is representa tive of the characteristics of the Industrial Revolution while keeping the same concept of balance and form as the central component of the time, which is specific to Neo – Classicism (Archer, 37). The movement from balance and into a sense of Romanticism was also seen in other regions, including France and Colonial America. The French had a similar alteration into the Enlightenment and Romanticism in the 18th century, specifically because

The Whiskey Rebellion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Whiskey Rebellion - Essay Example After the American Revolution the nation suffered unsettled economic conditions and a severe depression. Paper money was in circulation, but little of it was honored at face value. Most of those who were harmed by the depression were property-less and thus unable to vote. In Massachusetts the "sound money" merchants and bankers men controlled the government. The quarrel grew until thousands of men in the western counties of Massachusetts rose in armed revolt. They were led by Daniel Shays (1747-1825), a captain during the American Revolution. Shays' Rebellion lasted from August 1786 to February 1787. The agitators objected to heavy land and poll taxes, the high cost of lawsuits, high salaries of state officials, oppressive court decisions, and dictatorial rulings of the state senate. In Northampton on August 29 the mob succeeded in keeping the courts closed so debtors could not be tried and put into prison. Fearful of being tried for treason for this action, Shays and his men broke up the state Supreme Court session at Springfield the following month. The revolt took a more serious turn when Shays and a force of 1,200 men returned to Springfield in January to capture the arsenal. Action by the national government prevented the attack on January 25. Most of the insurgents were captured in early February, ending the rebellion. The leaders were condemned to death for treason but were later pardoned. Shays himself later received a war pension for his service in the American Revolution. Shays' Rebellion was one of several disturbances in different states. It hastened the movement for a federal government strong enough "to ensure domestic tranquility," as stated in the preamble to the Constitution, which established the United States. And this Constitution broughtthe first use by the new federal government of its constitutional power to uphold the government of each state, as the Whiskey Rebellion broke out. Western Pennsylvania had a history of wanting to be separate. As early as 1775 the Transylvanians petitioned the Continental Congress to be recognized as the fourteenth colony. In 1776 the people in the region claimed by both Pennsylvania and Virginia, announced that they were the new state of West Sylvania. They said that "no country or people can be either rich, flourishing, happy or free . . . whilst annexed to or dependent on any province, whose seat of government is . . . four or five hundred miles distant, and separated by a vast, extensive and almost impassible tract of mountains . . ." On January 15, 1788, Lord Dorchester, the governor-general of Canada, sentJohn Connolly (previously in charge of Ft. Pitt) to Western Pa. to talk to General John Neville, General Samuel Parsons and other Pittsburghers sympathetic to the British cause to determine the likelihood of the West separating from the East. After receiving the report Dorchester then send a letter to Lord Sydney advising him to aid the West in separating from the Union. Indians led by the Britishraided the Pennsylvania areas west of the mountains. The United States sent two major military expeditions against the eastern Indians. The first, in 1790, was led by General Josiah Harmer and the second, in 1791, was led by General Arthur St. Clair. Both expeditions were defeated by the Indians! It wasn't until 1794 that General Anthony Wayne defeated the British at Fallen Timbers and the British actually withdrew from the region, giving up on any hope of claim to the areas west of the

Renewable Energy Opportunities Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Renewable Energy Opportunities - Research Paper Example The research will be conducted using both primary and secondary sources, whereby, primary research will entail field surveys that will be conducted in areas where solar and wind energy has been used. The main method for data collection during the study using this method is going to be interview and observation. The residents shall be interviewed on the motivation that has made them invest in renewable energy. Additionally, they will be required to give a list of challenges that they have faced in harvesting energy from renewable sources. Similarly, the researcher will observe to give a report on the possible factors that might have made the region a suitable place to set up energy harvesting plants.Secondly, in secondary resources, the researchers will be required to read from relevant materials that have been researched and recorded by others in the past. The researcher will be able to have enough material in supporting the research topic. The research is conducted to establish usef ul measures that can be implemented to increase energy production from secondary sources to reduce overreliance on non-renewable sources electricity. The research will create a platform where the researcher will be able to get feedback from the public hence will be able to make informed recommendation about the steps to be taken to improve the situation. Globally, there have been organizations and institutions that are keen on ensuring the implementation of projects on harvesting energy from sustainable sources.... researcher will be able to get feedback from the public hence will be able to make informed recommendation about the steps to be taken to improve the situation. Project Background Globally, there have been organizations and institutions that are keen on ensuring the implementation of projects on harvesting energy from sustainable sources. There are organizations that have received international recognition in renewable energy and they include: international Energy Agency among others. This organization supports the use of renewable energy to diversify energy sources (Langwith 112). Motivation Overreliance on non renewable sources is leading to depletion of the resource. Additionally, such sources of energy lead to pollution of environment since global gases are released to the air during combustion. Continued exploitation of fossil fuels to get energy will lead complete depletion of the resource. Use of renewable sources of energy will lead to flexibility in energy provision system a nd residents will not suffer following failure of energy supply (Bazia & Abdollah 26). Research objective The aim of this research is to establish whether there is a way in which harvesting of energy from renewable sources can be implemented for large scale harvesting of the energy. After carrying out the study, it will be established that it is possible to harvest energy from renewable sources in large scale as an alternative to non renewable energy. Literature review Across the world, the market for renewable energy is growing rapidly. Most people who are focusing in renewable energy are motivated by high prices for oil, climate change due to global warming and support from the governments. Government agencies in many countries are for the idea of investing funds and skills in improving